Live Music Industry

[SixStringSuperf]

So, I have a question in regards to the industry of sound reinforcement in general. I'm working with a reopened rental and event production company and we're trying to get a feel for our market.

 

I was told by a man who works with a very large production company and with Nissan Pavillion, the larger DC venue that there aren't as many arena/stadium rock bands and that due to myspace and more independently successful bands that the industry as a whole is suffering, at least for very large venues.

 

Would you say that this statement is accurate? Are the larger companies (or any companies) on this site noticing any differences in business lately?

[Guest Anonymous]

 

Originally posted by SixStringSuperf Are the larger companies (or any companies) on this site noticing any differences in business lately?

 

Yes; however, I wouldn't know where to start and when to stop in answering this question.

 

What is your concept of "lately"? Past year? Past 5 years? Past decade? Past couple of decades?

 

1) Disco was a turning point.

2) 1994 was a turning point here locally.

3) 9-11 was a big turning point.

4) Internet based "free music" is certainly having an effect.

5) The somewhat recent deregulation of radio station ownership has definately had an effect.

6) Stiffer DWI laws and lethal STD's is certainly having an effect.

7) The changes in the standards of living in the US is certainly having an effect.

8) The somewhat recent orders of magnitude improvements in home entertainment is having a huge effect.

9) There's an formitable group emerging with large amounts of investment capital and an itch to be in business for themselves, which is having a considerable effect on this industry in some regions.

 

Currently, here locally, I'm seeing a very strong resurgence in well done (extremely well done) local and somewhat regional acts in small locally attended venues. Ticket prices are cheap (usually less than $5/head). Also, nationals making the county and state fair circuit seem to still generally draw somewhat well (so long as the ticket prices are real cheap), and the heavily promoted top acts touring a very few large venues seem to generally do ok (it doesn't seem to matter what the ticket prices are for that). Anything else is generally a complete trainwreck.

 

The anything elses:

 

1) Poorly done local talent... and that doesn't matter how cheap it is... in-fact this is generally pay to play in the local market.

 

2) Poorly done regional talent. Again, it doesn't matter how cheap it is, or how good the regional talent actually is... if it's poorly done, it's poorly received.

 

3) Poorly done national talent. Same thing.

 

The buying public seems to support good and cheap, or excellent and reasonably cheap, or excellent and hyped for lots-o-bucks.

 

Where would you like to go with this thread?

[rxnet]

stiffer , lethal , STD's

[twostone]

Yea the industy is going down I get paid only half of what I made a decade ago. I used to get a decent wage playing local venues, Now the same venues I played a decade ago only pay half as much, And of coruse when I lived outside of Dallas the best venues were all pay to play. And what's really funny most of the bands that come from the Deep Elem scene in Dallas come here to play for chump change here in Fort Smith AR. Just the other night Drowning Pool played here at a local club and I'm sure they felt their wallets pretty light compared to years ago when they made commercial sucsess.

[Dogoth]

Refering to the original post about Large venue shows. Although there are still Super Groups who can fill stadiums (and need to, to serve the number of people wanting to see them), I've always thought of Arena Rock as sort of a late 70s 80s phenomenon.

 

As ticket prices have soared only the best can fill this type of venue (where does all this extra money go? Attorneys, Corporate Weenies? Certainly not Musicians or crew.(Oh don't get me started)). I thought the coment by Audiopile about "The changes in the standards of living in the US" said a lot.

 

I used to play a bit back in the 80s. I still work with a lot of local musicians. Their pay is just about the same as it was in the 80s (with some reduction in perks like rooms, food allowances etc...). Of course remember that we've had near zero inflation since then (Funny how unless stated as "cost inflation" the word inflation usualy means wage inflation (sure nobody's getting paid more)).

 

OK thanks let me now step down from my soap box. To say more I should really move to the political forum sorry.

[Guest Anonymous]

 

Originally posted by JRBLE Of course remember that we've had near zero inflation since then (Funny how unless stated as "cost inflation" the word inflation usualy means wage inflation (sure nobody's getting paid more)).

 

As I understand it, "inflation" relates to the amount of money printed and in circulation. I believe near zero inflation over the past decade or so is probably accurate.

 

On the other hand "cost of living" relates to buying power based on wages and the cost of goods and services. There is no doubt in my mind, "cost of living" is not what it was 10, 20, or 30 years ago. "Cost of living" is a much more complex can of worms that simple "inflation". Inflation numbers are only condensed reporting of the currency in circulation vs. precious metals reserves by the govt. Cost of living is a whole different critter, and difficult to distill down to just a few meaningful numbers. Furthermore, changes in "Cost of Living" is almost impossible to judge when you look at the changes in durable goods laws and how that impacts the consumer. Sure, today's average hourly wage might more easily buy a color teevee or microwave oven now than it did 20 years ago, but 20 years ago, that color teevee or microwave oven was built to last 7 or more years... and now they're built to last how long? 2 years? 1 year? 90 days? Until you get out the door and your check clears? And how do you judge average hourly wage today as compaired to 20 years ago... when folks that don't report income aren't added and averaged into the statistics, and the robber barrons are added and averaged into the statistics.

 

Many do not understand these two different reportings of the US economic situation.

 

FWIW: I believe considering the actual content and shelf price of comic books vs. federal minimum wage as a good judge of the changes in cost of living, and changes in our standard of living.